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Difficulty: Very hardBritish Colonial Expansion, Economic Policies, and Administrative Systems

With reference to the administrative and judicial restructuring executed under the Governor-Generalship of Lord William Bentinck (1828–1835), consider the following statements:

1. He abolished the Provincial Courts of Appeal and Circuit previously instituted by Lord Cornwallis, reassigning their duties to Commissioners of Revenue and Circuit.
2. He replaced Persian as the official court language, introducing local vernacular languages in lower courts and English in higher courts.
3. He authorized the setting up of a separate Sadar Diwani Adalat and Sadar Nizamat Adalat at Allahabad to serve the Upper Provinces.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A
    1 and 2 only
  2. B
    2 and 3 only
  3. 1, 2 and 3Answer
  4. D
    1 and 3 only

Answer

All three statements (1, 2, and 3) are correct. Lord William Bentinck instituted comprehensive administrative and judicial reforms by abolishing the Provincial Courts of Appeal and Circuit, replacing Persian with vernacular languages and English in courts, and setting up separate Sadar Courts at Allahabad.
The correct option is the one stating that statements 1, 2, and 3 are all correct. Lord William Bentinck's tenure (1828–1835) marked a major administrative overhaul: he abolished Cornwallis's inefficient Provincial Courts of Appeal and Circuit, introduced English and regional vernaculars in place of Persian for judicial proceedings, and established separate Sadar Diwani and Nizamat Adalats at Allahabad in 1831 to serve northern India.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate Statement 1 regarding Provincial Courts of Appeal and Circuit
Statement 1 is correct. Lord William Bentinck abolished the Provincial Courts of Appeal and Circuit set up by Cornwallis due to massive judicial backlogs and delays, transferring their revenue and judicial duties to newly created Commissioners of Revenue and Circuit in 1829.
To streamline court procedure and eliminate prolonged delays in civil and criminal litigation.
2
Evaluate Statement 2 regarding official court languages
Statement 2 is correct. Bentinck abolished Persian as the compulsory language in court proceedings, authorizing Persian's replacement with vernacular languages in suitor-facing lower courts and English in higher courts.
To make justice accessible to local litigants and align higher jurisprudence with English administrative standards.
3
Evaluate Statement 3 regarding Sadar Courts at Allahabad
Statement 3 is correct. In 1831, Bentinck sanctioned a separate Sadar Diwani Adalat (civil appeal) and Sadar Nizamat Adalat (criminal appeal) at Allahabad for the convenience of residents in the Upper (North-Western) Provinces.
Litigants from the Upper Provinces previously had to travel all the way to Calcutta for final appeals.

Key Concept

Judicial and Administrative Reforms of Lord William Bentinck
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Topics

British Colonial Expansion, Economic Policies, and Administrative Systems